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At German supermarkets a third as many charging sessions start on Sundays

Published by Torben Wetter

Do fewer people charge at supermarkets on Sundays? In Germany they do, by a wide margin. On a Sunday, supermarket chargers in Germany see only 0.35 times the charging sessions of an average day from Monday to Saturday, about a third. At all other German sites, Sundays see almost as many sessions as the rest of the week.

I wanted to know whether charging at supermarkets looks different from charging elsewhere. So I counted when sessions start at these chargers and how long a car stays plugged in. The data comes from the status changes in the public live feeds over the past few weeks. A site counts as a supermarket when its name, operator or brand names a chain such as Aldi, Lidl or Kaufland.

Next I compared Germany with Norway, the Netherlands and Sweden. There the gap at supermarkets is much smaller. The value is 0.84 in Norway and 0.89 in the Netherlands. In Sweden, supermarkets even see more sessions on a Sunday than on an average day from Monday to Saturday.

Bars for four countries: German supermarkets see about a third as many sessions on Sundays as Monday to Saturday, Norway and the Netherlands nearly as many, Sweden more
Data (CSV)
Numbers as a table
CountryGroupSunday per Mon to Sat day
GermanySupermarket0.35
Germanyother0.95
NorwaySupermarket0.84
Norwayother1.03
NetherlandsSupermarket0.89
Netherlandsother0.87
SwedenSupermarket1.19
Swedenother1.09
Embed

Chart under CC BY 4.0, free to use with attribution.

<a href="https://ladepark.app/en/blog/ev-charging-supermarkets-aldi-lidl-kaufland"><img src="https://ladepark.app/blog/assets/host-12-supermarket-sunday-countries.en.light.svg" alt="Bars for four countries: German supermarkets see about a third as many sessions on Sundays as Monday to Saturday, Norway and the Netherlands nearly as many, Sweden more" width="800"></a><br>Chart: Ladepark (https://ladepark.app/en/blog/ev-charging-supermarkets-aldi-lidl-kaufland), CC BY 4.0. Data: ClickHouse status_events (export 2026-11-07); deu, nld, nor, swe search packs 2026-11-07; MobiData BW OCPDB (DL-DE-BY-2.0), Hamburg UDP (DL-DE-BY-2.0), Mobilithek (CC0); NDW / DOT-NL (CC0); NOBIL (CC BY 4.0)

Across the week, most sessions at German supermarkets start on Friday afternoon. At 4 p.m. there are 3.1 times as many starts as in an average hour of the week. Sunday is the quietest day. Motorway services are the other way round: Sunday is when they see the most sessions, with the peak at 4 p.m.

Session starts per hour across the week for six kinds of place; supermarkets peak on Friday afternoon and stay flat on Sunday, motorway services peak on Sunday
Data (CSV)
Numbers as a table
WeekdayHour (local)Supermarket: vs average hourFurniture and DIY: vs average hourFast food: vs average hourFuel brand: vs average hourMotorway services: vs average hourHotel: vs average hour
Mon00.020.040.070.150.20.12
Mon10.020.050.040.080.110.07
Mon20.010.020.030.050.080.06
Mon30.010.020.010.030.050.03
Mon40.030.050.050.080.110.07
Mon50.080.170.10.220.250.14
Mon60.340.360.40.520.550.33
Mon71.10.80.760.940.911.09
Mon81.641.131.041.341.261.8
Mon91.651.321.191.391.451.35
Mon101.721.831.531.481.61.09
Mon111.922.171.611.631.661.27
Mon122.032.31.831.761.731.25
Mon131.771.961.911.531.631.23
Mon141.811.61.661.51.581.23
Mon152.021.871.681.551.611.51
Mon162.562.151.581.711.492.05
Mon172.782.321.521.781.332.28
Mon182.181.471.351.431.122.59
Mon191.430.921.171.110.921.52
Mon200.690.450.650.780.691.03
Mon210.280.270.550.530.550.93
Mon220.10.180.30.330.360.47
Mon230.060.080.120.20.20.19
Tue00.020.070.120.120.140.09
Tue10.010.030.090.070.080.11
Tue20.010.020.030.040.060.02
Tue30.010.030.020.030.040.04
Tue40.020.070.040.070.080.07
Tue50.080.10.060.180.170.05
Tue60.290.280.290.450.410.43
Tue70.920.70.690.850.821.06
Tue81.311.010.921.221.21.51
Tue91.291.151.111.241.351.21
Tue101.431.391.151.291.361.02
Tue111.491.811.431.391.411.03
Tue121.651.871.751.561.481.18
Tue131.471.51.531.451.420.98
Tue141.531.651.391.471.41.2
Tue151.581.431.311.361.291.29
Tue162.01.721.451.471.311.66
Tue172.151.861.291.51.232.34
Tue181.811.41.191.361.082.51
Tue191.160.690.740.990.881.61
Tue200.610.390.640.680.610.92
Tue210.250.240.370.470.460.7
Tue220.10.130.230.30.320.49
Tue230.060.10.120.190.20.19
Wed00.020.040.080.120.130.09
Wed10.020.020.090.070.090.05
Wed20.010.020.010.050.050.03
Wed30.010.010.00.020.030.05
Wed40.020.050.020.080.070.02
Wed50.070.090.090.160.150.08
Wed60.260.320.260.410.360.36
Wed70.890.640.570.780.761.3
Wed81.341.20.911.211.11.95
Wed91.341.311.241.321.371.41
Wed101.451.751.211.341.521.14
Wed111.631.881.671.541.561.36
Wed121.81.961.761.71.591.28
Wed131.511.681.61.51.631.42
Wed141.571.661.71.531.631.31
Wed151.991.751.841.781.721.65
Wed162.292.061.741.81.711.91
Wed172.462.221.811.871.632.44
Wed182.01.611.61.651.552.54
Wed191.330.931.051.251.21.41
Wed200.670.480.70.870.911.15
Wed210.30.330.60.610.620.9
Wed220.120.190.350.390.450.39
Wed230.070.130.220.250.280.19
Thu00.040.060.190.150.210.09
Thu10.020.030.070.110.110.05
Thu20.010.020.030.050.070.01
Thu30.010.020.010.020.050.02
Thu40.020.050.040.080.080.01
Thu50.070.090.050.20.190.1
Thu60.340.370.30.460.450.8
Thu71.080.890.560.930.891.29
Thu81.551.190.911.311.152.07
Thu91.541.351.11.321.41.49
Thu101.641.831.481.421.511.38
Thu111.82.041.531.591.631.28
Thu121.962.21.831.811.791.27
Thu131.721.981.811.681.751.46
Thu141.851.691.831.721.821.25
Thu152.041.961.781.771.91.65
Thu162.532.42.191.931.871.74
Thu172.682.242.11.991.842.22
Thu182.261.931.791.821.752.16
Thu191.451.061.491.431.441.4
Thu200.760.541.121.01.120.95
Thu210.340.410.780.690.841.01
Thu220.140.230.50.460.590.45
Thu230.080.110.270.280.410.45
Fri00.040.060.10.160.220.13
Fri10.020.050.090.10.140.02
Fri20.010.020.040.060.080.05
Fri30.00.010.020.020.050.01
Fri40.030.070.030.080.070.05
Fri50.090.090.110.190.160.12
Fri60.360.270.310.430.380.51
Fri71.240.80.420.870.691.55
Fri81.771.211.011.231.01.91
Fri91.81.451.171.381.371.51
Fri102.032.051.41.611.691.28
Fri112.232.472.041.831.831.39
Fri122.482.682.242.051.851.53
Fri132.372.342.522.041.871.56
Fri142.522.662.272.061.891.5
Fri152.852.732.352.142.021.85
Fri163.063.12.312.232.012.12
Fri173.02.952.662.22.012.3
Fri182.472.272.21.91.812.55
Fri191.651.211.91.461.431.5
Fri200.880.741.411.071.141.07
Fri210.380.370.780.780.861.22
Fri220.180.330.590.560.690.59
Fri230.10.170.470.40.510.36
Sat00.060.110.310.270.340.2
Sat10.030.070.120.160.250.12
Sat20.020.050.070.10.160.1
Sat30.010.020.010.030.080.03
Sat40.020.060.020.070.120.03
Sat50.050.050.160.120.20.09
Sat60.260.140.170.240.380.29
Sat71.020.290.540.540.710.69
Sat81.680.840.820.971.171.28
Sat92.241.671.51.461.571.54
Sat102.713.071.891.922.081.47
Sat112.883.592.152.242.151.67
Sat122.773.642.562.371.991.63
Sat132.573.552.572.231.81.84
Sat142.543.231.962.081.811.91
Sat152.422.921.891.911.741.83
Sat162.382.622.071.861.71.99
Sat172.382.271.471.711.592.29
Sat182.031.621.671.511.422.08
Sat191.440.921.361.181.191.39
Sat200.810.460.790.931.01.05
Sat210.360.310.690.690.810.86
Sat220.170.240.50.530.650.51
Sat230.10.180.270.40.510.39
Sun00.050.110.230.260.370.27
Sun10.030.10.120.180.240.12
Sun20.020.060.110.120.160.06
Sun30.010.010.040.030.070.06
Sun40.010.030.050.070.110.05
Sun50.030.040.050.10.150.13
Sun60.060.060.120.160.250.26
Sun70.170.170.250.340.470.61
Sun80.350.440.630.690.831.27
Sun90.530.691.061.191.371.59
Sun100.691.171.511.761.951.67
Sun110.781.342.592.272.411.8
Sun120.791.562.712.462.421.65
Sun130.751.522.842.482.441.45
Sun140.781.563.292.432.331.38
Sun150.761.352.762.342.351.47
Sun160.751.363.082.282.471.39
Sun170.71.262.372.22.251.44
Sun180.61.082.291.942.081.79
Sun190.440.751.61.511.691.04
Sun200.290.551.051.071.290.82
Sun210.180.320.740.660.960.62
Sun220.10.180.390.410.590.32
Sun230.050.090.150.230.360.26
Embed

Chart under CC BY 4.0, free to use with attribution.

<a href="https://ladepark.app/en/blog/ev-charging-supermarkets-aldi-lidl-kaufland"><img src="https://ladepark.app/blog/assets/host-04-week-by-host.en.light.svg" alt="Session starts per hour across the week for six kinds of place; supermarkets peak on Friday afternoon and stay flat on Sunday, motorway services peak on Sunday" width="800"></a><br>Chart: Ladepark (https://ladepark.app/en/blog/ev-charging-supermarkets-aldi-lidl-kaufland), CC BY 4.0. Data: ClickHouse status_events (export 2026-11-07); source_blackout; DEU search pack 2026-11-07; MobiData BW OCPDB (DL-DE-BY-2.0), Hamburg UDP (DL-DE-BY-2.0), Mobilithek (CC0)

Then I looked at how long a car stays at a supermarket charger. On a fast charger with a CCS plug it is typically 32 minutes, on an AC charger with a Type 2 plug 61 minutes. Fast charging stops at motorway services are shorter, typically 23 minutes. This is the time the charge point is occupied, not the time power flows.

Typical plug-in time by kind of place, fast chargers and AC apart; at supermarkets about half an hour on a fast charger and an hour on AC
Data (CSV)
Numbers as a table
Host typeCurrentSitesMedian dwell (min)
Motorway servicesDC22123.0
Fuel brandDC121826.0
Furniture and DIYDC10632.0
SupermarketDC174532.0
SupermarketAC108661.0
Charging networkDC276430.0
Charging networkAC2666106.0
Utility or townDC75342.0
Utility or townAC5954138.0
HotelAC123168.0
Car brand or dealerDC56428.0
Car brand or dealerAC154203.5
unknownDC173132.0
unknownAC5287143.0
Embed

Chart under CC BY 4.0, free to use with attribution.

<a href="https://ladepark.app/en/blog/ev-charging-supermarkets-aldi-lidl-kaufland"><img src="https://ladepark.app/blog/assets/host-03-plugin-time-by-host.en.light.svg" alt="Typical plug-in time by kind of place, fast chargers and AC apart; at supermarkets about half an hour on a fast charger and an hour on AC" width="800"></a><br>Chart: Ladepark (https://ladepark.app/en/blog/ev-charging-supermarkets-aldi-lidl-kaufland), CC BY 4.0. Data: DEU curves pack 2026-11-07 (charge_duration); DEU search pack 2026-11-07; MobiData BW OCPDB (DL-DE-BY-2.0), Bundesnetzagentur (CC BY 4.0), Mobilithek (CC0), Hamburg UDP (DL-DE-BY-2.0)

One more thing stood out at Aldi. Aldi is really two chains that split Germany between them, and their chargers follow the same line. ALDI SÜD runs 752 charging sites in the south and west, ALDI Nord 265 in the north and east.

Map of Germany: ALDI SÜD charging sites as dots in the south and west, ALDI Nord sites as circles in the north and east; the line between the two chains shows in the dots
Data (CSV)
Numbers as a table
BrandSitesSites 150 kW+Median latitude
ALDI SÜD75221049.6
ALDI Nord26513652.3
Embed

Chart under CC BY 4.0, free to use with attribution.

<a href="https://ladepark.app/en/blog/ev-charging-supermarkets-aldi-lidl-kaufland"><img src="https://ladepark.app/blog/assets/host-09-aldi-map.en.light.svg" alt="Map of Germany: ALDI SÜD charging sites as dots in the south and west, ALDI Nord sites as circles in the north and east; the line between the two chains shows in the dots" width="800"></a><br>Chart: Ladepark (https://ladepark.app/en/blog/ev-charging-supermarkets-aldi-lidl-kaufland), CC BY 4.0. Data: DEU search pack 2026-11-07 (brand_id); MobiData BW OCPDB (DL-DE-BY-2.0), Bundesnetzagentur (CC BY 4.0), Mobilithek (CC0); Natural Earth 1:10m (public domain)

What this means for drivers

German supermarkets see the fewest charging sessions of the week on Sundays and the most on Friday afternoons. On a supermarket fast charger a car typically stays 32 minutes, on an AC charger about twice as long. A site's own page shows how busy it is right now and how busy it usually is.

Method and data

Sessions come from the status changes of the public live feeds. A session is a change from available to charging whose next change at the same charge point is from charging to available, after 3 minutes to 24 hours. Times in local time (Europe/Berlin).

The supermarket grouping comes from names only: the name of the site, its operator and its brand. A site counts as a supermarket when it names a chain, in Germany for example Lidl, ALDI, Kaufland, REWE, EDEKA, Netto, Penny, Globus or Marktkauf, in the Netherlands for example Jumbo or Albert Heijn, in Norway and Sweden for example Coop, ICA or Rema 1000. Power, location and size of a site are not used. A supermarket whose charger goes by another name is missing from the group. Motorway services are found the same way, by words such as "Raststätte" or "Autohof", fuel brands by their names. Dutch site names are mostly street addresses, so the Dutch group is small.

Country comparison: the 3 weeks to 7 November 2026, 3 Sundays and 17 Monday-to-Saturday days. Weekly pattern: the 8 weeks to 7 November 2026, 52 full days without a feed outage, 685,192 sessions at 2,141 supermarket sites. Plug-in time: Ladepark's curve pack, 28 days to 7 November 2026. It counts every time a charge point is occupied (charging, reserved or blocked) for 3 minutes to 12 hours. Per site and plug type this gives the median occupancy, then the median over sites; only plugs with at least 30 occupancies. ALDI: operator in the German pack of 7 November 2026, that is the brand and not the name.

All sources, definitions and licences

Ladepark shows on a map how many charge points are free right now, and when a site is usually free. The iPhone app is free in public testing: get it on TestFlight.